Dutch engineering students have unveiled an electric vehicle concept designed around a simple idea: drivers should be able to fix their own cars. Developed by Eindhoven University of Technology’s TU/ecomotive team, the prototype challenges an industry model that typically locks repairs behind dealerships, proprietary tools, and tightly controlled service networks. The vehicle even carries its own toolbox, signaling a deliberate shift toward user-controlled maintenance.
The project arrives as debates over repair access continue to grow across Europe. While recent EU consumer rules have expanded repair rights for items like smartphones and household electronics, passenger vehicles remain largely outside those protections.
The students behind the concept see their work as both a technical experiment and a policy signal, offering lawmakers and manufacturers a tangible example of how cars could be designed from the outset with repairability in mind.
Known as ARIA, short for Anyone Repairs It Anywhere, the vehicle rethinks how electric cars are assembled. Instead of tightly integrated systems that require specialized equipment, the design relies on standardized, removable components. This approach reduces reliance on brand-specific service channels and opens the door for owners to handle routine fixes themselves.
A central feature of the EV prototype is the battery system. Rather than a single, heavy unit embedded into the chassis, ARIA uses six smaller battery modules, each light enough to be removed by hand. The exterior panels follow the same philosophy. Quick-release body sections allow fast access to internal components and can be swapped out entirely if damaged, avoiding costly shop visits for minor issues.
Software plays a supporting role, with a companion diagnostics app providing real-time information about the car’s condition, while a printed manual guides users through common maintenance tasks. According to the team, everything needed for basic repairs is stored inside the vehicle, eliminating the need for external tools or specialized training. The car’s appearance generally reflects its functional priorities as well.
A compact body, upward-opening scissor doors, and a stripped-back interior keep weight down while giving the prototype a distinctive look. TU/ecomotive says the vehicle weighs about 1,400 pounds and is designed for a working range of roughly 220 km, positioning it as a practical urban or commercial solution rather than a luxury product.
Collaboration played a key role in the prototype’s development. Students from Fontys University of Applied Sciences and vocational education provider Summa contributed alongside the TU/ecomotive team, combining academic research with hands-on technical skills. Team leader Taco Olmer said the project is meant to challenge assumptions about what is feasible in modern car design.
By delivering a working prototype within a year, the students aim to show that repair-friendly and sustainable vehicles are not a distant ideal, but a realistic option the wider industry could pursue. Over the past decade, TU/ecomotive has built 10 experimental vehicles, each intended to question conventional approaches to mobility and point toward alternative paths forward.
It would be interesting to hear what luxury EV makers like Rivian Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: RIVN) think about this concept car and what its chances of commercial success are in markets like the U.S. where the population’s love for larger vehicles makes them the obvious choice for manufacturers.
About GreenCarStocks
GreenCarStocks (“GCS”) is a specialized communications platform with a focus on electric vehicles (“EVs”) and the green energy sector. It is one of 75+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN that delivers: (1) access to a vast network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to efficiently and effectively reach a myriad of target markets, demographics and diverse industries; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets; (3) enhanced press release enhancement to ensure maximum impact; (4) social media distribution via IBN to millions of social media followers; and (5) a full array of tailored corporate communications solutions. With broad reach and a seasoned team of contributing journalists and writers, GCS is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that want to reach a wide audience of investors, influencers, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, GCS brings its clients unparalleled recognition and brand awareness. GCS is where breaking news, insightful content and actionable information converge.
To receive SMS alerts from GreenCarStocks, text “Green” to 888-902-4192 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)
For more information, please visit https://www.GreenCarStocks.com
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the GreenCarStocks website applicable to all content provided by GCS, wherever published or re-published: https://www.GreenCarStocks.com/Disclaimer
GreenCarStocks
Austin, Texas
www.GreenCarStocks.com
512.354.7000 Office
[email protected]
GreenCarStocks is powered by IBN
